Optimizing mail processing by matching publisher and printer entities

Abstract

A system and method is described for optimizing mail processing by applying a co-mail concept. A network is established involving a data center and plural publishers and printers of advertising documents. Databases are established at the data center of profiles of the publishers and printers and their current and prospective activities, and the information used by the data center to match publisher to printer for particular jobs to reduce mail processing and distribution costs, or expedite mail distribution.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for performing mail processing functions for postal system users, said apparatus comprising: (a) a data center having a data processor and means for receiving and storing data representative of: (i) specifications of inserts to be produced and distributed via the postal system to a plurality of addressees;   (ii) profiles of a plurality of facilities for producing inserts from said specifications;     (b) means for processing said data to determine which facilities are suited for producing determined inserts.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said stored data includes volume use data and addressee data. 
     
     
       3. A system for performing mail processing functions, comprising: (a) a data center having a data processor and storage means,   (b) a plurality of users performing publishing functions and generating specifications for inserts to be produced for distribution via the postal system to a plurality of addressees,   (c) a plurality of users performing producing functions and generating the inserts from said specification,   (d) a data communications network interconnecting the data center, the publishing users, and the producing users whereby the publishing users can transmit to the data center data representing specifications of the inserts to be produced and the producing users can transmit to the data center data representing profiles of their activities, said data center data processor storing said data transmissions in said storage means,   (e) said data center processing said specifications and profiles data for determining a producing user for producing the inserts of the publishing users to reduce production and distribution costs or to expedite distribution to the addressees.   
     
     
       4. The system of claim 3, wherein said stored data includes demographics data of the addressees. 
     
     
       5. The system of claim 4, wherein the stored profiles of the producing users comprises their location, current producing jobs including envelope capacity, and addressee files. 
     
     
       6. The system of claim 4, wherein the producing users are located in different geographic locations, and the addressees are located in different geographic locations. 
     
     
       7. The system of claim 3, further comprising means for communicating information to a publishing user concerning a particular producing user to use for a particular insert. 
     
     
       8. In a mailing processing method, the steps comprising: (a) interconnecting via a network, a plurality of publishers of advertising documents for mail distribution to a plurality of addressees in different geographic locations, a plurality of document printers, and a data center having data processing facilities,   (b) compiling a database of documents to be distributed by said publishers and a database of printers' profiles,   (c) determining costs of printing the documents at various printers and assembling individual mail pieces for mailing to the addressees, and   (d) transmitting to the publishers identification of printers for local printing of particular documents to reduce the costs involved in printing and distribution to the addressees.   
     
     
       9. In the method of claim 8, wherein step (c) is carried out by comparing locations of the printers and locations of the addressees to receive particular documents. 
     
     
       10. In the method of claim 8, wherein step (c) is carried out by comparing the printer's resources and specifications of the documents to be printed. 
     
     
       11. In the method of claim 8, wherein step (c) is carried out by comparing available envelope capacity at the printers and specifications of the documents. 
     
     
       12. In the method of claim 8, wherein step (c) is carried out by comparing specifications of the documents and addressee files available to the printers. 
     
     
       13. In a mail processing method, the steps comprising: (a) interconnecting via a network, a plurality of publishers of advertising documents for mail distribution to a plurality of addresses in different geographic locations, a plurality of document printers having different geographic locations, and a data center having data processing facilities,   (b) compiling a database of documents to be distributed by said publishers and a database of addressee profiles and a database of printer's profiles,   (c) determining which documents are to be distributed to which addressees,   (d) determining costs of printing the documents at various printers and assembling into individual mail pieces for mailing to the addressees,   (e) transmitting to the publishers identification of printers for local printing of documents and identification of addressees to whom those documents are to be mailed to reduce the costs involved.   
     
     
       14. In a mail processing method, the steps comprising: (a) interconnecting a plurality of publishers of advertising documents for mail distribution to a plurality of addresses in different geographic locations, and a data center having data processing facilities,   (b) compiling a database of documents to be distributed by said publishers and a database of addressee profiles,   (c) determining which documents are to be distributed to which addressees and whether the mailpiece containing the documents can accommodate additional documents for the addressee, and   (d) transmitting to the mailers identification of mailings and addressees to whom documents are to be mailed and data indicating whether those mailings can accommodate additional documents to enable the mailers to add additional documents to the mailings.   
     
     
       15. In a mail processing method, the steps comprising: (a) interconnecting a plurality of independent mailers of advertising documents for mail distribution to a plurality of addressees, a plurality of independent publishers of advertising documents, and a data center having data processing facilities,   (b) compiling a database of addressees and addressee profiles and a database of documents to be distributed,   (c) determining which documents from the plural publishers are relevant to which addressees, and   (d) transmitting to the mailers and to the publishers information enabling the mailers to receive from the publishers those documents which can be combined into a single mailing to a particular addressee.